Allan Sinclair, 40-year-old owner of his biotech firm that desperately needs to develop new drugs, thinks he may have found a cure for Alzheimer’s using the chemical properties of the native West African Nutmeg. A fascinating story of what happens when Western business meets the reality of African society and politics—with a taste of Cold War machinations thrown in for good measure.

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Lisa,employed by a venture capital firm, is romantically linked to Allan, owner of a biotech firm. When Allan tells her he is working on a way to augment the medicinal properties of nutmeg which could be a potential cure for Alzheimer’s disease, she shares the information with her business partner, Scott, whose mother suffers from the disease.

This simple act of kindness on Lisa’s part sets in motion a chain of events that will change all their lives forever. Once he learns of the potential of nutmeg,Scott goes to his old college friend, John, who has been working on a similar project, and makes him a business offer he can’t refuse.This takes them to Ghana, where they encounter Richard Akroma, an anti-government rebel who is seeking an amnesty and a chance to return to the life of an ordinary Ghanaian citizen.

A fascinating story of what happens when Western business meets the reality of African society and politics–with a taste of Cold War machinations thrown in for good measure, as Akroma’s Cold War association with the KGB come back to haunt him. While there is a bit more telling than absolutely necessary to move the plot along, much of it does at least help the reader understand the back ground and motivation of the characters. Some, however, is merely interesting historical or technical information that does not move the story forward. The author tells the story from several points of view,but thankfully, the transitions from one character to another are done smoothly, so it is not confusing.

The Five Lions of the Volta by Larry Shields is a story of a culture little understood by most Westerners, told in a way that does not transform the African characters into caricatures, and which portrays the landscape and society in a credible way. Like Blood Diamonds, this would make a good movie,and with a little more showing rather than telling would be a five-star book. I give it four-stars.